NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by RothmanResearch.com.

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• Bank of America/Merrill (NYSE:BAC) downgraded a number of semiconductor companies, expecting a modest inventory correction, even as economies improve and demand for electronics rises.  Four shares were downgraded to neutral, including Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN), Marvel Technology Group (NASDAQ:MRVL) and LSI Corp (NYSE:LSI).  The form lowered Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ:MXIM), National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM), Power Integrations (NASDAQ:POWI) and Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) to underperform

• Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) rose 10.6% yesterday. The firm announced a private debt offering of $500 million of senior notes. This morning's news saw FBR Research raising its price target to $9 from $8, while maintaining a "market perform" opinion

• Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) reiterated its "buy" rating on CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS), saying the shares are cheap at current levels.  The firm said at $30, CVS is selling at just 10.6 times 2010 estimates, below a two year, 14x average, with long-term growth of 13% anticipated

• Reports said Blackstone (NYSE:BX) plans to acquire Birds Eye Foods, the largest US frozen-vegetable company, for over $1.3 billion in an all-cash deal

• Tenneco (NYSE:TEN) priced a 12 million share offering at $16.50 per share for $187 million

• Sears Holding (NASDAQ:SHLD) reported a third quarter loss of 81 cents, less than the $1.09 loss expected, on better-than-expected revenues of $10.19 billion

• Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) reported third quarter earnings of 16 cents a share, ahead of estimates by 7 cents as revenues of $990 million topped expectations of $961 million.  The company said it expect fourth-quarter earnings of 41 cents to 46 cents a share

• Children's Place (NASDAQ:PLCE) reported in-line earnings of $1.38 on in-line revenues of $463 million. Comparable sales fell 2%

• Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) third quarter beat by 11 cents as earnings posted at 16 cents and revenues exceeded estimates at $729 million

Zacks Investment Research

Frozen-vegetable company Birds Eye Foods is expected to be acquired by Pinnacle Brands Corp. for more than $1.3 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCE) today announced its third-quarter net income of $37.8 million, or $1.37 a share. Net sales for 3Q was up to $463.2 million from $450.6 million same quarter last year compared to analysts estimates of $1.37 cents a share. Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCE) is up 0.37% to $35 in the pre-market. Yesterday PLCE closed at $34.87.

The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE: BKE) today reported third quarter net income of $33.3 million, or 73 cents a share and net sales of $231.2 million, up from $210.6 million in the third quarter of 2008. The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE: BKE) yesterday closed at $29.06. In 2009, BKE gained over 33%.

Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) today announced that for financial year 2009, it expects net income to be in the range of $85 - $95 million and diluted EPS to be in the range $1.60 - $1.80, while Reuter analysts is expecting BRC to announce net profit of $89 million and EPS of $1.73 for financial year 2009. Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) is now trading at $29.86, down 0.45% in the pre-market hours. The 52 week trading range for BRC is $14.39 - $33.10.

Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) declined 0.68% t0 $29.01 in the pre-mornings trading hours. Yesterday Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) announced that it has reduced its workforce by 1.8% and plans to reduce more after the end of first quarter as the company plans to align its cost structure.

The Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) soared up 0.13% to $15.57 after Blackstone Group L.P.'s Pinnacle Brands Corp reported that it will buy Birds Eye Foods for more than $1.3 billion in cash deal. In the last six months, BX gained over 25%. Yesterday, BX closed at $15.55.

Bank of America/Merrill (BAC) downgraded a number of semiconductor companies, expecting a modest inventory correction, even as economies improve and demand for electronics rises. Four shares were downgraded to neutral, including Intel (INTC), Texas Instruments (TXN), Marvel Technology Group (MRVL) and LSI Corp (LSI). The form lowered Maxim Integrated Products ...

• Bank of America/Merrill (NYSE:BAC) downgraded a number of semiconductor companies, expecting a modest inventory correction, even as economies improve and demand for electronics rises.  Four shares were downgraded to neutral, including Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN), Marvel Technology Group (NASDAQ:MRVL) and LSI Corp (NYSE:LSI).  The form lowered Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ:MXIM), National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM), Power Integrations (NASDAQ:POWI) and Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) to underperform

• Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) rose 10.6% yesterday. The firm announced a private debt offering of $500 million of senior notes. This morning's news saw FBR Research raising its price target to $9 from $8, while maintaining a "market perform" opinion

• Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) reiterated its "buy" rating on CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS), saying the shares are cheap at current levels.  The firm said at $30, CVS is selling at just 10.6 times 2010 estimates, below a two year, 14x average, with long-term growth of 13% anticipated

• Reports said Blackstone (NYSE:BX) plans to acquire Birds Eye Foods, the largest US frozen-vegetable company, for over $1.3 billion in an all-cash deal

• Tenneco (NYSE:TEN) priced a 12 million share offering at $16.50 per share for $187 million

• Sears Holding (NASDAQ:SHLD) reported a third quarter loss of 81 cents, less than the $1.09 loss expected, on better-than-expected revenues of $10.19 billion

• Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) reported third quarter earnings of 16 cents a share, ahead of estimates by 7 cents as revenues of $990 million topped expectations of $961 million.  The company said it expect fourth-quarter earnings of 41 cents to 46 cents a share

• Children's Place (NASDAQ:PLCE) reported in-line earnings of $1.38 on in-line revenues of $463 million. Comparable sales fell 2%

• Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) third quarter beat by 11 cents as earnings posted at 16 cents and revenues exceeded estimates at $729 million

Zacks Investment Research

BloggingStocks: Controlled by the Blackstone Group (BX), Pinnacle Foods is a packaged foods company whose brands can be found in about 80% of the households in the U.S. The portfolio includes Duncan Hines baking mixes and frostings, Vlasic pickles and Swanson frozen ... Read more

Schaeffer's analyst Morgan Searcy takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Schaeffer's analyst Morgan Searcy takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Companies featured in this segment: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company’s (NYSE:BMY), Laboratory Corporation of America (NYSE:LH), BP plc (NYSE:BP), The Blackstone Group LP (NYSE:BX), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), StatoilHydro ASA (NYSE:STO), SNC-Lavalin Group Incorporated (TSX:SNC), and Alstom SA (EPA:ALO)

Tom Dorsey and Tammy DeRosier - Out of the Mouths of Babes

Companies featured in this segment: Ford Motor Corporation (NYSE:F), Arch Coal Incorporated (NYSE:ACI), GAIL (India) Limited (BSE:532155), Nova Chemicals Corporation (NYSE:NCX), Total S.A. (NYSE:TOT), Mitsui Chemicals Incorporated (TYO:4183), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (BSE:500104), Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited (BSE:500294), Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE:BX)